Atletico Madrid 'keep getting better' after beating Alaves for sixth straight La Liga win

Diego Simeone has warned Atletico Madrid's domestic and European rivals that the "team keeps getting better" after an emphatic 4-1 win over Alaves on Saturday night extended their La Liga winning run to six games.

Joao Felix and substitute Luiz Suarez both scored twice as the Spanish champions thrashed their bottom-placed opponents as Atletico moved level on 57 points with Sevilla in second, who face fourth-placed Barcelona on Sunday. Real Madrid lead the standings with 69 points from 30 games.

Felix opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a close-range header from a Sime Vrsaljko cross, but Atletico lost focus and allowed Alaves to score the equaliser with a Gonzalo Escalante header in the 63rd minute.

After Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha was fouled inside the area, Suarez scored from the spot to put Atletico back in front, with Felix extending their lead in the 82nd minute.

An on-fire Cunha, making his comeback after being out injured for several weeks, then produced a brilliant through pass to Suarez and the Uruguayan completed an emphatic win for Atletico.

"The team keeps getting better, although we relaxed after the break and that is dangerous," Simeone said as Atletico switch their attention to Tuesday's Uefa Champions League quarter-final first leg at Manchester City.

"Good thing is that we recovered quickly and managed to score after they tied the match. It's good to keep our momentum going with the final stretch of the season already here and the Champions League quarter-finals upon us."

Simeone praised Cunha's return from injury, saying the Brazilian gave Atletico "the spark they needed" and explained that the 35-year-old Suarez must be managed carefully.

"I'm not used to be in the bench, it's all new for me but I'm a professional," Suarez said. "The coach has a tough job to do because we have many quality players in Antoine Griezmann, Felix, Cunha, Angel Correa ... it's a healthy competition inside the locker room and I'm here to help when needed."

Alaves remain on 22 points, five points from the safety zone.

While you're here

Gavin Esler: The Good Friday Agreement teaches us some important lessons

Damien McElroy: Boris must listen to Churchill's comments on Irish divisions

Janine di Giovanni: Track 2 diplomacy key to lasting peace in 21st century

While you're here

Richard Jolly: Man City's appeal win eradicates uncertainty over club's future prospects

Nick March: City fans don’t miss the bad old days, they’re too busy living in the moment

Damien McElroy: What the failed Newcastle takeover says about Boris Johnson's Britain

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Company profile

Company: Eighty6

Date started: October 2021

Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Hospitality

Size: 25 employees

Funding stage: Pre-series A

Investment: $1 million

Investors: Seed funding, angel investors

Atletico Madrid 'keep getting better' after beating Alaves for sixth straight La Liga win

Spanish champions run out 4-1 winners ahead of Champions League clash with Manchester City

While you're here

While you're here

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

GAC GS8 Specs

Company&nbsp;profile

Company profile